Davis Lemke

Practising what we prescribe: 30 minutes outside, every day of September

At Clarity Health Care we've been moving more of our practice towards social prescribing. Alongside therapy and medication, we prescribe the things that actually hold people up day to day: movement, daylight, green space, connection.

It isn't a soft add-on, it's evidence. A study of nearly 20,000 people found 120 minutes a week in nature is the point where health and wellbeing benefits show up, and it counts whether you get it in one go or in ten minute grabs. A 2026 overview of 116 systematic reviews found nature-based interventions produce large reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. The RACGP is now pushing to embed social prescribing across Australian general practice.

Which makes it a bit rich for me to keep prescribing something I don't do myself. So for the 30 days of September I'm outside for 30 minutes a day. That's 210 minutes a week, no excuses about Melbourne weather.

Every dollar raised goes to Stride's mental health services. If you've ever been told to go for a walk and ignored it, this one is for you.